Bloodstorm: Life vs Death
by Wife of Jason Voorhees
Summary: This story stars the powerful UberJason who fights a base of superheroes with extreme powers. The heroes know, if Jason kills them all, there will be nobody to protect mankind against an occult camp built to resurrect multiple versions of Jason.
1. Massacre on Thanos

**Welcome to my second newest story, Bloodstorm: Life vs. Death. This is a UberJason one that takes place after the last Jason X novel. If you don't know of the novels, here's what takes place in each of them, so you can be caught up with where my story starts off. The first one is about the movie, which is why I won't describe that one. **

**The Experiment: Jason is now on Earth 2, thanks to the ending of Jason X. He is resurrected and then captured by the army, who want to use parts of his body to make the ultimate super soldier.**

**Planet of the Beast: Jason is discovered by scientists on planet 666. The main scientist, Bardox, decides to use Jason's DNA to create a new generation of people with unbearable strength. **

**Death Moon: Jason terrorizes a finishing school for unruly girls on Moon Camp Americana. **

**To the Third Power: A team of engineers go to the moon of Americana, also known as Elysium, to help transport prisoners to another moon, Thanos. When they uncover Jason's body underneath the prison, they must fight him and a group of rioting inmates. **

**If you need to know anything else, let me know, and I'll answer it later in the story. **

**And now begins another story that I hope draws many fans. Here's Bloodstorm!**

* * *

The moon of Thanos stood as a depiction of the harshest coldness ever to be in the galaxy sky. It produced fear that would make Earth II want to turn away as far as possible. Earth II had two moons: Thanos and Elysium. And Elysium had quickly earned its place as the more pleasant of the two.

One might wonder why Thanos dwelled in such misfortune. For many decades, the moon had been barren: its conditions unsuitable for human life. The moon's very atmosphere acted as a powerful barrier to any spaceship.

But that problem had now been solved due to the hard work of many scientists and technological experts. In fact, Thanos had a new purpose: to act as a rehabilitation facility for the hardest of the galaxy's prisoners.

They had already been transported there from Elysium by means of what could be called a "giant slingshot". A capsule had been shot into space by two beams, where it sped at such light speed that it seemed to teleport its way to Thanos. Therefore, the capsule had bypassed the merciless atmosphere.

But the prisoners were not the reason why Thanos was doomed beyond belief. In fact, they too were in jeopardy along with the very reputation of the moon: by the indestructible manifestation of anti-life known as Jason Voorhees.

For this monster had climbed aboard the transport and thus had traveled with the prisoners to Thanos. He was the stowaway that would put the mark of death on every one of them. And it was about to be far worse than the death he had caused before he had been upgraded.

Back on the ship of students that Jason had terrorized, the Grendel, he had been blown to bits by their already uploaded android. But this was only a minor inconvenience to a force like Jason. Through the future's technology, particles known as nano-ants rebuilt him. They were healing entities that were programmed to fix any flesh they came in contact with. The nano-ants had transformed him into a being far more equipped at the art of killing and even more powerful.

He was now part humanoid, part machine. Steel covered a good portion of his body, having embedded itself into his flesh. Even his mask was made of the metal, and it clung so deeply to his face that it now appeared to _be_ his face. Whatever parts of Jason weren't steel was a black fabric. Burning red pools of death were his eyes.

He used those cat-like orbs now to search Thanos for those humans he had seen in the capsule. His eyes burned with a fury even greater than the stars in the background. The searing gusts whipped all around him. The moon had a dark, rocky terrain that trembled underneath the monster's feet.

The transport's speed when it penetrated the atmosphere had thrown Jason off and into the faraway reaches of the moon. But his radar would pick up that detested human life very soon.

* * *

The capsule had landed at the very edge of the rehabilitation facility. A ramp slid out from the transport's base up to the door. The facility was like a dome covering many miles of the moon. And everything needed for survival was inside, so the prisoners had no choice but to go in. Once inside, every door would be locked shut, only able to be opened from the outside by the troops that would come to deliver more food and other supplies.

Some of the weaker prisoners were deterred by the moon's blazing winds. Most of them, however, braved the harsh atmosphere and headed down the ramp. Of course, they mumbled about being here, but were otherwise grateful that they were safe from the monster they had seen: or so they thought.

After the destruction of many of their leaders, a new one had to emerge. And one did very quickly. A man with muscles too large for his body stood at the front of the group. In a bellowing voice, he ordered the others down the ramp to determine the rules for the facility.

His name was "Rottweiler" Burke, and his name suited him well. He had ripped apart human flesh into many bloody slivers and not with a weapon or his hands either. Over 20 victims had perished due to his voracious appetite for blood. And such would happen to any of these prisoners if they did not follow his commands.

Once rules were established, Rottweiler led the men and few women into the dome. Inside was like their very own community. Small homes were built for every one of them with other buildings, such as a store, gym, and computer lab. Rottweiler did not waste any time with picking the house that he felt was the largest. After much arguing and quite a few scuffles, the other prisoners established their own residences.

It seemed like they were all quite safe without the judgment of society around. If only they knew that a more relentless and bloody judgment was in store for them. And it didn't matter what crimes they had committed. They were all the same in the monster's eyes: the monster getting closer to them by the second.

* * *

Jason detected the life before the dome was even in sight. The killer instinct pulsing through his being grew stronger as he drew nearer. His red eyes became wide open windows to Hell, where he was about to send everyone.

There was not one inching fear of loneliness once he wiped out the humans. Any anxiety about being the only humanoid left on this moon was non-existent. Evil could not be bound by such weak concepts.

Jason smashed his steel body through the dome wall. Whatever strength those walls held meant nothing to his power. The prisoners standing open-mouthed at him had only seconds to live. There was no time for repentance for their crimes.

He ripped off the first man's head with his bare hands and tossed it aside. Blood spurted like geysers from the now open stump of a neck. The head, still with the man's gaze of shock, smacked against one of his comrades exiting the store.

This prisoner watched Jason grab hold of a woman's long hair. He bashed her against the third one in their group. Their blood poured forth as one when her form tore the man in half at the waist.

Jason heard her scream and seethed rage that she wasn't dead yet. He hit her hard against the torn prisoner's skull until she cracked, and he could now hurl her on top of him. The redness soaked their bodies, trickling into the woman's open wounds. This included her smashed ribs and ravaged heart.

The witness was not one to be easily afraid, however, he knew pure evil when he saw it. He dashed off to warn the others with Jason in hot pursuit. It didn't matter to the killer if they all realized he was here. Any warning they had would be far too late.

The rest of that day was painted in red. Thanos was now contaminated with the agony of countless human beings. Jason continued his rampage throughout the dome, massacring every prisoner he came across. He brutally slashed through all that luscious flesh with its warm blood and meaty organs.

Torn limbs and decapitated bodies littered the facility. Some lay face down on the ground so their horror could not be seen, while others hung in various positions of shame. Jason burst through the door of one home, killed its resident without a second thought, and moved on to the next.

The very last victim was Rottweiler Burke himself. And he put up the greatest fight of any of the currently deceased prisoners. After dodging Jason's first blows, he rammed the monster through the wall. The chunks of metal fell upon both of them.

Still sitting on top of Jason, Rottweiler bit hard into the killer's red orbs. Jason emitted no sound, but was clearly enraged. He knocked the muscular man off him like he was just an insect. Rottweiler was surprised to see Jason's eyes heal in less than two seconds.

"What the hell?" Rottweiler yelled every time he stabbed Jason, and Voorhees would regenerate seconds later.

Jason had regenerative abilities before, but the nano ants now inside him sped up this ability even more. Once Rottweiler realized that he had finally met his match, Jason had torn into him with a steel fist. Both felt the prisoner's warm stomach falling out of the hole. Rottweiler choked out blood, while he fought not to show any pain. His life slipped farther away and down into the bowels of Hell.

Jason showed no pride, nor happiness that all the prisoners were now dead. His whole soul remained completely emotionless. He left the dome and strode across the horizon of Thanos: its lone inhabitant. His next goal was always the same. That was to kill more humans. And he would walk Thanos while waiting for more to come.


	2. A Bloody Discovery

**I know it's been a long time since I've posted this story and not add another chapter. But I finally got in a real motivated mood and did most of this in two days. **

**I've looked at the other F13 stories and still have not seen another UberJason one, so I hope that makes mine unique. **

**Thanks, as always, to those that read this story (:**

Three days had come and gone on Thanos, lost among the limitless void of the universe. It seemed like the massacre of the prisoners would go unnoticed, at least until the fourth day. The blood soaked event was about to be discovered. Two of the universe's greatest heroes were on their way to check up on the rehabilitation facility to make sure all was as it should be. Which, whenever Jason Voorhees took over, was not the case.

The beings traveled to the moon from a base that was not exactly nearby. But that didn't matter at all, for they could pass through the atmosphere quite readily without a transport, or oxygen for that matter. All they needed was the very power emanating from their own bodies.

Shooting amongst the stars to the bleakness of Thanos, they arrived on the moon with little effort. Neither of the two life forms was bothered by the wind whipping their faces or the sub zero temperatures freezing the terrain at their feet.

The first of the two, Jayden Storm, turned to the ship that had carried the prisoners here. With the doors still open, he found the vehicle to be empty. He knew the convicts would have realized that going into the dome was their only safe option.

Upon moving closer, both him and his female comrade sensed something was amiss. His comrade and fellow hero, Sapphire Celadon, was chilled down to her bones. Physically she was more than fine, as both exceeded the capabilities of any human. But her extraordinary perception did not pick up the presence of any life.

Long, golden hair flowing upwards in the wind, Sapphire spoke to Jayden.

"I don't sense anything. Do you?"

Staring hard with that ever-serious gaze, Jayden shook his head. He did feel the eeriness echoing in the darkness, which reflected the devastation of what was behind the dome's walls. Using only one powerful fist, Jayden bombarded one section of the dome. Blasting into shards whipping away with the gusts, a gaping hole stood before the two. They stepped into the dome's interior and looked at the lake of blood, which was now the floor.

Savagely mangled corpses were strewn as far as they could see. And that was saying a lot. Dark redness dominated every body with rib cages shimmering in the pale light and organs ripped out like they were nothing.

Sapphire's eyes increased three times their shade of blue. She had seen a lot in her days of heroism, but this was like a scene from Hell. Next to her, Jayden was less shaken. He was strong in both body and mind, but compassion would always be there. Nobody deserved to die, not even the worst of mankind.

"Oh my Heavens, what has happened?" Sapphire spoke calmly, though her voice did tremble.

Jayden came up with the only explanation he could think of.

"They must have killed each other," he replied in his deep tone.

Sapphire looked at him quizzically, not really believing it. Any human could not have done this damage. These prisoners may have been bad, but really: this? She never was one to question her leader, however she had to ask.

"Are you sure? This work seems to be too inhuman, even for them. One has to be really strong…"

Jayden cut into her statement very assuredly.

"It's the only explanation. I'm not sensing anything else that could have done this, and I know you're not either. Come, we have to report this to base."

Sapphire closed her eyes, searching her feelings, and finding her senses clashing with an impression of life that was miles away on this moon. This force gripped her heart and held on tight. It was pure evil. She knew this much. But why couldn't Jayden sense it as well?

Though overcome by dread, Sapphire ascended with her companion into the sky of endless space. She looked down briefly, while trying to shake it off. At least, she would leave whatever it was back on Thanos forever. Maybe.

* * *

Far to the north of where the space station Solaris used to be, Jayden and Sapphire arrived at their base: a base that contained all the greatest warriors of the current galaxy. It was labeled Moonshalla, the ultimate training base for the immensely powerful: young and experienced alike. The base was enormous, even for that century's standards, reaching the size of a small moon. Not to mention the fact that all its material was designed to withstand the blasts produced by the heroes inside.

A door opened at the south end of Moonshalla to welcome Jayden and Sapphire. The entrance was one of many that branched off the main corridor. Moonshalla was specifically designed so that, no matter where one went, he or she would always find the route back to the key areas in the very middle.

This particular south end door was for those that needed no ship to make it to the base. Thus, there was no cockpit once the two stepped inside. Jayden and Sapphire walked down the side hallway in front of them on their path to the command center. The business of the base pierced its way through every wall, including those of the training rooms and laboratories that they passed. The shouts and kicks of the trainees in combat practice were always the major sounds heard.

Though there were many twists and turns, the two heroes arrived at the center in a matter of seconds. Jayden punched in the code needed to unlock the door to the base director's

chamber. It slid up in the blink of an eye, revealing the silhouette of a rather average looking man to most. His medium build and height came forth from within the depths of the chamber. He smiled a greeting at Sapphire and Jayden, face calm and agreeable looking.

"Good afternoon, my heroes. I was just checking on the ship containing the batch of newest students sent to arrive here in an hour. What can I do for you?"

Jayden gave his usual salute to acknowledge the supervisor's authority. There was no rule saying he had to, and one wouldn't expect it at all for the most powerful hero in this era. But Jayden Storm performed his acts of honor anyway. It was just his way of proving that nobody was below him, especially not this man, Brooklyn Spears.

Chief officer Spears accepted his gesture and performed it back. He then returned the friendly nod that Sapphire gave him. Jayden set about to answer Brooklyn's question.

"Commander Brooklyn Spears, sir," he said, his tenor continuously professional. "We are here to report on our check-in mission to Thanos."

Brooklyn could tell that something was not quite right in Jayden's eyes. He had that ability to read anybody like a book. Lacking actual superpowers used to fight, the leader had the mental skills beyond anyone else at Moonshalla.

"A tragedy occurred there, right? Harm has come to the prisoners, I can tell."

Sapphire entered the conversation with a little less calmness than Jayden. Nothing new there. Her lean body underneath the hero suit became tense.

"Commander Spears, it was horrible beyond belief. All the prisoners there, every last one of them, are dead."

Brooklyn showed no surprise. The recollected sight of the massacre exposed itself to him from the two heroes' minds. He saw bloodied bodies, beaten unnecessarily, strewn like a battlefield all over the dome.

"Yes, I can see," he replied. "And your unanimous conclusion is that they killed each other, I know."

Brooklyn may have spoken this out loud, for Jayden's assurance, but noticed that Sapphire didn't completely share this belief. Her eyes flickered a sense of anxiety, having the idea of something else being responsible.

"Yes, there's no other explanation," Jayden still spoke for both of them. "I don't want to rush into a conclusion, though nothing else was present to prove otherwise. We'll never know how it started. It doesn't matter, however."

Brooklyn at least acknowledged this principle. If the prisoners had killed each other, or a more sinister force was at hand, there was no way of going back. The only honorable act to do was to take care of the bodies and give them a sense of rest.

"Recruit some science students to go and recover the bodies. Then have the remains transported to the proper mortuary base. Record these findings into the events log. I will now go and tell the chief in charge of the prisoners' transport to Thanos."

Jayden and Sapphire both nodded. They waited until Brooklyn headed back into his quarters before they, in turn, set about to execute the needed tasks. On the way, Sapphire had to speak about the anxiety eating away at her.

"I still don't understand what happened," she conveyed to him. "I never doubt you, but what if there's a chance that they didn't kill each other? In that case, sending students there could be dangerous. You know, if there was something else that murdered them."

Jayden stared at her, while looking a bit serious about Sapphire not accepting his opinion. He was close to her, there was no doubt about that, and would never retaliate at her. So instead, he calmly explained himself to his friend.

"I understand your reluctance, Sapphire," he told the woman. "It is hard to believe for me as well. But I've learned never to doubt my senses. And my senses told me that there was nobody else there. Did yours tell you something else?"

Sapphire focused on her fellow heroes bustling about down the halls, incessantly on their way to classes or training to better their skills at protecting mankind. That was why she was so wary now of sending anybody to Thanos. It had become unknown to her what danger was there. But her ultimate trust in Jayden eventually rose over anything else. He would not allow harm to befall any living thing.

"I guess not," she responded. "I thought I sensed something, but it was probably just my shock over what had happened to them. You're right. Let's do what needs to be done."

* * *

As they separated at a turn in the corridors, each about to complete a different task, two more figures popped out of a lab room after Sapphire and Jayden had passed. The first was a teenage girl with the fieriest red hair in the base. She turned and pretty much had to coax the boy with her to come out. He was almost an exact replica of her. Of course, being a young man, his amber hair was much thinner and cut close to his head.

"What is it, Kara?" he asked, his manner showing some annoyance. "We're not quite done with our project yet."

His sister sparkled with excitement when she looked back at him. Besides that, a mischievous touch was in her ginger eyes. She whipped her head about to ascertain that the area was free of listeners.

"Forget the project, Kenny," she told him. "Didn't you hear? Those people they transported to Thanos have been massacred. I mean, blood everywhere. Can you believe it?"

Kenny did not appear anywhere near as thrilled as Kara was. But that was common among these two. His sister was the adrenaline seeker, while he had become the more logical one.

"A massacre? Are you sure? And even if you are, I don't think it's cool at all."

Kara sighed, already impatient with Kenny's hesitation.

"I didn't say it was cool, Kenny. I was just surprised by the news."

Kenny crossed his arms, trying to look strict, but never succeeding around his sister.

"Listening in on others' conversations doesn't classify it as news."

Kara's restlessness drove her to start heading towards the nearest cockpit before replying. She stopped at its entrance and turned around.

"You sound like Mr. Hoffman. Always analytical."

Mr. Sandusky Hoffman was one of the Moonshalla scientists and the professor of technology for those students learning how to operate space shuttles and computers.

Kara then entered the cockpit where their assigned ship was located. Kenny, once again, felt like he had no choice but to follow her. It was difficult for them to be apart for too long.

This dock, labeled B, had the ships that were easier to handle for the less experienced students. They were all about medium size, not too small so they wouldn't go too fast, and not too large, so they wouldn't be too bulky to operate.

Kara had dashed up to a vehicle of a ruby color with flames racing across the sides as a sign of what powers these two possessed. Kenny stopped a few feet behind her.

"What are you doing, Kara?" his voice echoed throughout the room.

His sister responded in a manner that showed how assured she was.

"They're going to send medical students to take care of the bodies. I want to check them out before they get there."

Kenny's mouth dropped a little.

"What? We can't just drop everything and go. For one, we don't have permission. And I know that, even if we asked, they would say no."

Kara shot back that usual look that told him, "I'm going anyway. Come with me or stay here."

Kenny heard these unspoken words. He knew his twin sister too well. He cursed himself for being wishy-washy after he eventually replied.

"Fine. But let's not take too long. We have fire training later."

Kara's morbid sense of curiosity had put them in trouble one too many times. Though this time would ultimately be their last.

**I hope you don't automatically think that Kara and Kenny will go to Thanos and accidentally bring Jason back. It's a little more complex than that.**


	3. Deep Slumber

Kenny and Kara's ship burst through the atmosphere of Moonshalla with lightning speed. They _did_ have one of the faster vehicles in the base, provided that only Kenny drove it. His sister's recklessness was well known among their superior heroes. Her need for action had led to one or two mishaps with the ship.

In the passenger side of the cockpit, Kara bounced about, mostly because of excitement rather than their ship's turbulence. She took in the sight of infinite stars spread out in front of the windshield. The teen thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of freedom.

Kenny reluctantly had taken his spot at the controls. He pressed a button to decrease acceleration for their own safety. Having permission to navigate the ship did not always mean that he was perfect, and he knew that. Maybe if Kara felt the same, she wouldn't be pushing him, like now.

"Why'd you slow down, Kenny? It will take us forever to get there."

Kenny's frustrated stare was meant for Kara, even if he kept it glued to where the ship was headed.

"Are we in a hurry? I don't think so. So just be happy that I'm taking you out here in the first place."

Kara responded with a pouty look, which Kenny found to be so immature. The only reason she was at Moonshalla was so she could be taught a more serious outlook on life. Hopefully, the end result would be better use of her powers.

"You taking _me_? You're not in charge of my life."

"Maybe not, but I'm technically in charge of the ship, including where it goes. So I will make some rules here. When we get to Thanos, we can look, that's it. Got that?"

Kara faced straight ahead and sighed. Even if she expected Kenny's adult attitude, she still found it aggravating. He had to experience _some_ of the pleasures of being a teenager, powers or not, before it was too late.

The trip lasted maybe a few minutes, and the twins discovered the dark moon of Thanos up ahead. Kara bounced even more, already itching to unhook her safety belt. Kenny insisted they wear the belts, just like "normal" people.

He immediately sensed the grimness of this place. Moving closer just made his throat tighter and tighter. Even his heart was afraid to emit very many beats. Life like theirs was not welcome here, Kenny knew. If it was not for Kara's persistence, he would turn back right now.

He turned on the landing sequence and prepared for the tough task ahead. This moon's merciless winds swept the ship like it was a puny tin can. It took all of Kenny's skills to finally land onto the rocky terrain.

"Suits on," he spoke with authority.

"Yeah, yeah," was Kara's flatulent reply.

About half of the heroes at Moonshalla could not breathe in space, the Vulpix twins included. They put on the specially made suits that could not only withstand the pressure of the atmosphere, but also the fire power produced by the twins.

The door slid open with its usual whooshing sound. Kara headed out first, landing hard on the ground, so her red hair was already ruffled in her space helmet. Kenny followed behind more cautiously.

The area was vast and barren in their eyes. Nothing really interesting to see, until they had traveled several yards. Kara rushed ahead before Kenny could take it all in. His eyes still had to adjust to the weather, even when shielded by the helmet. Thanos was _that_ cruel.

But, after discovering what was getting Kara so pumped, cruel was an understatement. They arrived at a smashed in area of the magnificent glass dome.

"I don't believe it," Kenny spoke in awe. "This glass is supposed to be ten times stronger than that of bullet proof steel. What could have broken it?"

The twins were fortunate not to see what had done damage to the exterior. But they were struck with the sight of harm it had done to human flesh.

Gore drenched bodies painted a scene of war and lamentation. So many dead, that there were always less than a few feet between them. Lifeless looks of horror were on even the more hardened prisoners' faces.

There was no need for explanation. Kenny and Kara's reactions matched those of Sapphire when she was here. Shock, terror, and sadness all mixed into one burst of energy. The energy took them back to the ship, so fast that their legs hardly ever touched the ground.

Kara slammed herself into the cockpit, forgetting that Kenny was here for a brief moment. She reached to shut the door behind her.

"Kara, wait!" her brother shouted, his voice stammering in panic.

He took a glance at the shadows dancing away from their location. An evil essence was locked in their dark forms. It didn't seem possible, as Kenny thought they were just blacked out portions of the stars.

He grabbed the door and ducked inside before it fully closed. Neither one dared speak for awhile. It was unusual for Kara to be hit with silence. Lacking experience, the twins had never seen the consequences of hatred. Though Kenny believed that no hero, superior or not, could handle what they had seen.

When he finally ignited the engine and sent the ship flying, he couldn't care less how fast it moved.

* * *

Earth 2 was a dense metropolis of innumerable cities that were of this modern era. There were some sites preserved for their historical value as well. Next to the civilizations were the sparse patches of woods and lakes. The planet had become more technological than it ever had before.

It almost seemed like mankind hadn't learned from their mistakes on Earth 1. Even some of the original Earth's descendants were naïve to what the generations had done to the atmosphere. The past and any memories were long gone. At least, they were for most people.

One laboratory still attempted to learn from evidence deemed so ancient. It was located in the very heart of Millecanton, a city known for its science facilities. Scientists would have compared this lab to the Crystal Lake Research Center where Jason Voorhees had been imprisoned.

One difference, however, stood in the amount of cryogenic chambers. Crystal Lake had had only one, which had been set aside for the killer's suspension before things had gone horribly wrong. This new base, named Valley Cardene, contained over a hundred.

Over many years, the process of thawing out people had become a simple task. A section of Valley Cardene was dedicated to doing such projects.

A few researchers busied about the chambers, tending to those that had desired to be frozen years, even centuries, ago. These people were immediately warmed, vitals taken, and soon led into another room for the next steps. Every day, there were many waking up from their deep slumbers.

Despite the effortless procedure, there was still the occasional one who wouldn't awaken quickly. Today the turn belonged to a young woman suspended for nearly 400 years.

One of the workers, Dr. Alma Wanamaker, spent sweat filled minutes over her bed. He knew this one would be a vital part of genetic research once woken up. The frozen woman was in good condition for having been asleep so long.

It was more than just this. In the woman's records, it was written about her above average intelligence. It dated all the way back to when she was five years old. Alma studied the documentation with a bit of confusion about certain parts. There remained an entire space of her childhood that lacked any information.

It didn't matter. She had to be awakened. Her genes of genius and beauty could be passed down and create the ideal offspring.

Alma performed every method the lab used for stirring these people from sleep. When none worked, he slammed the paperwork down in defeat. The woman must have been frozen even longer than 400 years. That had to be the main reason for her condition.

_Was that possible? Had cryogenics really been around that long?_

He wondered this for the longest time after his submission. Alma didn't think it had been. The earliest he knew of their origins carried back to 2010.

Alma beckoned to one of his comrades. His coworker was at a nearby chamber, fighting to restrain the occupant. This pod, unlike most others, was horizontal and low to the ground. Inside contained one of the few dogs that had been frozen by its owners.

Obviously, the animal was distressed about where it was. Its echoing barks traveled throughout the lab.

"Do you have any suggestions, Lee?" Alma asked. "I've tried everything on the subject. Has her cryostasis lasted too long?"

Lee gave the dog a sedative before turning to Alma. Eyes glazed, it fell asleep in seconds. He took the record and examined it with the same intensity.

"Dawn Peterson," he read out loud.

After a few more minutes of interpretation, he questioned the other researcher.

"Is this all the data we have?"

Alma nodded. He looked back at the suspended woman. She looked so peaceful, like she actually preferred to remain sleeping. The ice crystals covering her jeans and T-shirt were melting only slightly. They sparkled in the light from the various machines.

Her long hair was caked in frost. A trace of its blonde color just barely showed through. The frozen strands complemented her face perfectly. Only one of them was out of place, brushing against her closed eyes.

"I double checked everything. There is nothing to fill in the blanks of her childhood. The gap starts at age eight. I don't think, however, that it affects us now."

Another coworker piped up from the other side of the room. He was in charge of plugging all the info into the computer. He produced a placid frown.

"She's from Crystal Lake, New Jersey. On the former Earth. Right?"

He knew this after pulling her profile onto the computer screen.

Lee took a quick glance towards the chart. He narrowed his eyes, unsure of the question's significance.

"That's right. Why?"

The man shrugged like it was obvious. He adjusted his name tag. The letters spelled out S. Freeman.

"Well, that explains it."


End file.
